Will Sentance founded Codesmith, a coding bootcamp, after a successful start with positive student outcomes and rapid growth. However, a competitor, Michael Novati, gained control of the r/codingbootcamp subreddit and launched a relentless campaign against Codesmith. Attacks included baseless accusations, harassment, and the leaking of confidential information, which eroded Codesmith's reputation and led to significant drops in student applications and revenue. The company's workforce dwindled from 70 to 15 employees as morale plummeted. The situation worsened when Google began displaying negative Reddit threads prominently in search results for Codesmith, further damaging its reputation. The article highlights how Novati's actions created a toxic environment that not only affected Codesmith's public image but also instilled doubt within its own ranks. As Sentance faced escalating attacks and a collapse in business, he questioned his role in the negative attention. Ultimately, he stepped down, but the harassment continued, illustrating how a single person's influence on a platform can devastate a business. The piece also emphasizes Novati's strategic control over the subreddit. His position as the main moderator allows him to dictate the narrative surrounding coding bootcamps, impacting search engine results and the information fed into language models like ChatGPT. Novati's past at Facebook and his competitive nature suggest he approaches business like a game, using tactics that can severely harm competitors. This situation raises concerns about the broader implications of online reputation management and the vulnerability of businesses to targeted attacks on social media platforms.